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High Quality Music Education for Every Child

El Sistema USA® works to ensure every child has access to high-quality music education that celebrates their voice and potential, by supporting a national network of organizations & educators.

High Quality Music Education for Every Child

El Sistema USA® works to ensure every child has access to high-quality music education that celebrates their voice and potential, by supporting a national network of organizations & educators.

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Member Organizations

Latest News

Board of Directors Voting
Voting is now open for the 2025 Board of Directors. Four directors will be elected for three-year terms starting in January 2024 and ending in January 2027.
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2024 Annual Report
We invite you to download the 2024 New Year Report to view all our accomplishments and work completed in FY 2024!
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Polaris Dawn Crewmember Performs from Space with Youth Musicians Around the World

Polaris Dawn Crewmember Sarah Gillis, a Classically Trained Violinist and Astronaut, Performs from Space with…

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Upcoming Events

Program Director & Manager Forum: Best Practices for Supporting Beginning Students and their Families
Join us for a dynamic session focused on supporting new students and fostering their success. Connect with fellow administrators, exchange ideas, and explore innovative strategies to help students define and achieve their own paths to success. Learn why it's crucial to support students in finding their own definitions of success while aligning with your institution's values. This session will equip you with the insights and tools needed to enhance your leadership and provide exceptional support to students, setting the stage for their future achievements. Don’t miss this opportunity to elevate your impact and drive student success to new heights!
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Collegiate Access for Young Musicians: Navigating the College & Audition Process with Undocumented Parents
December 3 @ 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
This session addresses the unique challenges faced by students with undocumented parents as they navigate the college admissions and audition process. Hear practical advice on how to handle specific situations, seek support, and utilize available resources specifically for students with undocumented parents.

Who is this session for? This session is targeted towards prospective music students and families with undocumented parents. This session will also be beneficial for private instructors and program managers who seek guidance in this area. Spanish translation will be provided.
Registration is free for Equity Arc and El Sistema USA members, and $35 for non-members. Learn more about Equity Arc membership | Learn more about El Sistema USA membership
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CEO Forum

CEO Forum January 8 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

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Program Director & Manager Forum: Supporting Teaching Artists
Join us for an insightful session on effectively supporting teaching artists. Despite our best efforts, teaching artists often don't receive the recognition they deserve. Many experience burnout and leave their positions in search of better benefits and support systems. While comprehensive healthcare may not be feasible for many programs, there are other ways to create a fulfilling and sustainable environment for teaching artists.

Engage with fellow administrators, share ideas, and explore innovative solutions to empower teaching artists. Learn how focusing on the teaching artist experience can lead to lasting benefits for your students and community. Understand the importance of robust support systems for teaching artists' growth and sustainability, ensuring they thrive both personally and professionally. This session will provide you with the insights and strategies needed to create a supportive and enriching workplace for teaching artists. Don’t miss this opportunity to make a significant impact and elevate the success of your teaching artists!
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Fortissima 2025 at the Colburn School
Fortissima is an artistic and leadership development program at the Colburn School, specifically designed for high school-age young women from underrepresented minorities in classical music. This program offers a combination of online leadership training and mentorship, paired with an intensive weeklong residency at the Colburn School. Participants will have access to individualized artistic and career development support, including trial lessons, performance opportunities, and workshops. The program aims to inspire and empower young women to pursue professional careers in classical music.
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Teaching Artist Forum: Scaffolding for Success: Strategies for Support for Students with Special Abilities

Scaffolding for Success: Strategies for Support for Students with Special Abilities February 3 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

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THE EL SISTEMA USA MODEL

Our work draws inspiration from the music education model of El Sistema, founded in Venezuela by Jose Antonio Abreu and championed by conductor Gustavo Dudamel. It uses music instruction to enhance the lives of young people in under-resourced communities. El Sistema USA believes that learning music can set students on a path of self-discovery and improve life skills such as patience, persistence, and confidence.

Free or Low-Cost Tuition

Frequent Instruction

(5-10+ hours per week)

Ensemble-Based Learning

Participation Over the Years

Community Focus

Excellence in Instruction and Playing

Donate to El Sistema USA today

Your generous gift will allow us to connect and build the field of equity-based music programs that ensure access to high-quality music education. Support programs like our youth leadership cohort to prepare the next generation of leaders, national data collection initiative to measure program impact on students, or our national symposium which strengthens organizational and field capacity.

Join El Sistema USA

Are you an equity-based music program providing high-quality programming to your community?

ESUSA provides our members with resources to help organizations, administrators, teachers, and students thrive. This includes benchmarking reports, data collection, networking events, webinars, consulting, student leadership programming, and student seminarios. Our members include community music schools, youth orchestras, symphony orchestras, individuals, and more.

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